


set on a bender with nothing left to lose

by lethargicProfessor



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Historical, Gen, Murder Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21995053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethargicProfessor/pseuds/lethargicProfessor
Summary: It's supposed to be an opportunity to make some quick green by letting the liquor flow. But it's hard enough dodging coppers and the law when the boss is gone, and the only people who can help solve the mystery is the piano player, the booze runner, and a detective's sister. Still, there's a chance for something better on the horizon if they can make it through alive.-reposted and expanded Jazz/1920s AU
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is not to be reproduced or reposted on any site or app other than Archive of Our Own, Tumblr, and WordPress (LPWrites/LethargicProfessor). This work is available for free on these sites, and is **not to be used or sold for profit by any third parties or apps.**

“You know, when I told my folks I had a promising future ahead of me, I don’t think running booze for a juice joint was what they had in mind.” Lavi mused. The lighter in his hands clicked once, twice, before catching, the flame burning for a brief second before going out.

“I don’t know,” Allen muttered, sitting on the step of their borrowed breezer. “There’s worse things out there than being a bootlegger.”

Lavi tilted his head, cigarette dangling from his lips, squinting in the darkness. “Ya ain’t wrong, kid. I think this is it.”

A car came into view, its headlights blinding the two waiting by the docks. Lavi tried to shield his eyes with his hand, frown tugging at the corner of his mouth as the driver stepped into the light. The man walked over, hand resting loosely on his belt, a smirk on his face at Allen’s loud groan.

“Tyki, what are you doing here?” His face screwed up in a scowl as he struggled to peer through the blinding light.

“I think I should be asking that, don’t you think boys?” Tyki grinned, casting a pointed look around the docks. “Just making sure no one is getting into trouble.”

“Everything’s copacetic, officer,” Lavi ground out, crossing his arms sullenly. “Nothing to worry about here.”

Tyki hummed, walking to circle their car. Allen watched him tap the metal hull with the butt of his baton, the ringing echoing in the night. “Tyki, cut the bushwa. What do you want?”

“Is that any way to talk to family, kid?” The cop teased, ignoring the surprised look Lavi shot his way. He continued around the car, leaning heavily on the truck. “The old man owes me, by the way.”

“Cross said you won’t get a dime unless you stop skimming from the shipments,” Allen stated matter-of-factly, getting to his feet with a sigh. “He’s taking the cost from your cut.”

“Now that’s just rude,” Tyki grumbled.

“So’s your old man,” Allen retorted, reaching out to punch Lavi’s shoulder lightly. “Relax. Tyki’s on the level. He keeps the actual good cops off our tail.”

“Swell,” the redhead replied weakly, rubbing his chest. “And here I thought he was gonna take us out on a ride.”

“Nah.” Tyki laughed, the badge on his chest catching the light. “If you ask me, this whole outlawing alcohol thing is a load of bull. It won’t last.”

“I hope it does.” Lavi laughed, finally lighting his cigarette. “It’s great for business.”

“Speaking of business, mooch off, Tyki.” Allen waved his hand dismissively. “We can’t have a cop hanging around, you’ll scare off our supplier.”

Tyki huffed irritably, walking back to his car. “Tell Cross that he owes me interest.”

They watched him leave, Allen plastering a smile on his face until the car was out of view. “Sometimes I wish I could punch him in the face.”

“I thought he was family?” Lavi asked, curious.

Allen shrugged, sitting heavily. “A cousin, or something. I’ve stopped trying to figure out what anyone is in my family.”

“I had no idea we had a flatfoot on our payroll.” Lavi puffed on his cigarette, watching the ashes fall. “Anything else I should know about the boss’s business partners?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but the less you know about Cross’s business, the better.” The kid smiled, but Lavi would be damned if he believed it.

“Does that mean I can’t ask why the joint’s piano player is also the hooch runner?” He tried to blow a smoke ring, glancing at the kid.

“You can ask, sure.” His smile slipped into something more genuine, waving the smoke away from his face. “There’s nothing sinister to it. Cross just doesn’t want to pay someone to do the job when he can just make me do it.”

“He’s paying me, though.” Lavi pointed out, dropping the cigarette, crushing it under his heel.

“He’s paying you to be the muscle in case the supplier leaves us holding the bag.” Allen sniffed. “Which has happened. So look sharp, rotgut’s here.”

The car that pulled up to the docks rattled and wheezed, and it had clearly seen better days. Still, the people that stepped out of the car seemed swanky as all hell, completely out of place in the dingy docks.

Allen stood, a tight smile on his face as he moved to greet the newcomers. The shorter of the two smiled back, but the tall one just glowered at Lavi.

“Hey, Al,” the short one said softly, shaking Allen’s outstretched hand. “Who’s your friend?”

“Lavi,” Allen glanced back, ignoring the tall man. “He’s new to the city. I’m just showing him the ropes.”

Lavi nodded, flicking his lighter absently. The tall one continued to glare at him, eyeing his movements with an intensity Lavi had never felt before. He wondered if he had a weapon on him; if he had known he was going to be hired muscle for the kid, he could have at least prepared.

Allen and the dealer seemed to be on good terms, though, finishing the transaction smoothly. Allen handed over the dough, completely at ease. The short one counted the money quickly, nodding at the tall man once he was finished. “Go ahead, Yuu.”

The goods – a shipment of whisky and gin – were hidden in large crates of books, their faded covers hiding bottles between hollowed-out pages. “That’s all of ‘em,” The short one – Alma, Lavi found out later – said, shaking Allen’s hand in farewell. “See you soon, Al.”

Again, Lavi and Allen watched them depart, the sound of waves lapping gently against the docks filling the silence until Allen yawned.

“Let’s go on, then.” He slid into the passenger seat, rubbing his face. “We still have to drop the goods off, and get the place ready for business tomorrow night.”

“Sounds grand.” Lavi drove them back to town, idly wondering what his folks would say if they could see him now.


	2. Chapter 2

The first sign of trouble that night was Allen waiting outside the bookstore, arms crossed like he was trying to keep himself together by sheer force of will.

The second was his greeting.

“I think Cross got whacked,” he said, tapping his elbow nervously. “I don’t know what I should do.”

Lavi was stumped. “My guess would be tell the police?”

Allen blinked slowly, tilting his head, looking altogether very much like an owl. “Tell the police that my uncle, who owns an illegal bar, might have been murdered?” He fluttered his hands in the air in exasperation. “You’re supposed to be smart! That’s why I came to you!”

“Sorry to disappoint?” Lavi scratched at the back of his neck absently, looking up at the bookstore. “Why do you say he got whacked?”

Allen opened his mouth to respond, then shook his head, taking Lavi by the forearm and physically dragging him inside the bookstore.

It hurt a little, seeing all the books thrown this way and that, pages ripped out and spines bent enough to crack the gold lettering. Lavi winced in sympathy, nudging aside a downed bookshelf. “Looks like the place got robbed. Anything useful stolen?”

“Not that I saw. I checked.” Allen bit his thumb absently, the white gloves he always wore not nearly as white now. “Also there’s a lot of blood.”

It didn’t look it, but after a moment of digging through some of the stacks of books, yes, they found a puddle of slowly drying blood, scattered papers soaking up red.

Lavi nudged at the pile with a shoe, careful to avoid getting blood on himself. “We sure it’s not a wine mishap?”

“I have yet to deal with a bottle of wine that smells like that, but if you want to give it a taste be my guest.” Allen huffed, looking around the shop in dismay. “I’d just tidied up the place, too.”

“Is that really what has you all in a twist?” Lavi stepped back to sit against Cross’s upturned desk. “Let’s say someone did bump off your uncle. Why would they want to?”

“You have _met_ the man, haven’t you?” Allen groaned. “You’d have an easier time making a list of the people who don’t have beef with him.”

“So what do you want us to do?” It seemed pretty simple to Lavi; just go to the coppers, let them know what happened and go on with it.

Allen frowned, seeming to think real hard about his options before looking up. “We find whoever killed him, I guess.”

“Just like that?” Lavi had a lot of faith in Allen, sure, but even that was stretching it thin.

“He is the bloke that pays us, you know. Without him, we’re out of a job.” Allen pointed out.

“Well, when you put it that way…” Lavi sighed and shrugged, rolling his sleeves up. "Where do we start?"


End file.
